The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1887-11-23
Honor Where Due.

for brilliant reception TO the Manitoba
road in that city on the 23d inst. Busi-
ness men are out with badges and ban
ners and the town is fairly wild over the
prospect And what for? To welcome
railroad which was brought to them by
the Northern Pacific; and to receive with
open arms railroad which comes to them
after the Northern Pacific has solved the
problem of the inhabitability ofthe country
to crown with glory corporation which
goes to it after the Northern Pacific has
redeemed the country, built the splendid
city where but few years ago was the
miners "last chance" The Tribune does
not criticise the people of Helena for their
proposed reception. 1t is human nature
to fly to the new. Bismarck will do the
same She Will welcome the first new
read with open arms and brass bands, and
SO she should. But in the present excite
ment in Montana, the Tribune cannot re-
frain from speaking of what the Northern
Pacific is doing and is preparing to do for
the country The people of Helena are
rejoicing over the reduction of freight by
the Manitoba, which on first-class goods
will be 1896 per 100 while in the past the
Northern Pacific has charged So. In this
respect it should be remembered that
these charges were made by the Northern
Pacific when she was the pioneer road
and was developing the country. She has
already decided to meet the rate of the
Manitoba and go her one better, If neces-
sary. The Manitoba which advertised it's
reduced rates sixty days before the COM
pletion of the line and is virtually going
into Helena with brass band splurge
makes the announcement which all traffic
managers know is done to affect and ham
per the other road rather than to benefit
the community. It looks like scheme
to crowd itself into the pool, succeeding
fduch has been said of how the Manitoba
will monopolize the river trade which has
heretofore been tributary to Bismarck,
but it will be long time before that road
can compete with the Missouri river and
the Northern Pacific under the present
aggressive management of the latter
Bismarck Tribune, 10th.
The above is an extract from quite a
long article which came to us marked for
attention It was evidently written en-
tirely in the interest of the Northern Pa
cifc. We think our friend of the Tribune
is little off in stating that the Northern
Pacific solved the problem of the inhabi-
liability of this country That question
was solved by the wild game and the In
dians long before the whites came here in
search of precious metals. Helena was
city of no mean proportions before the
Northern Pacific reached Bismarck, hav-
ing gained that position on account of her
near proximity to the Missouri river,
natures free and cheapest highway. Mon
tana and Montana's capital, Helena, were
therefore not called into existence by a
they rather created demand
for the railroads which have since been
built to them. Montana is willing to ac-
knowledge all the benefits that have fol
lowed the building of the Northern Pa
cific; but she feels that she has paid roy
ally for everything she has received at it's
hands. The Northern Pacific now has COM
petition from the young and vigorous
and as competition is said to |
be healthy, in business sense, We have
no fear as to the result The whole
country will be benefited, population will
rapidly increase, new cities and towns
will be built, and there will be business
enough for both roads.
It is not in good taste for journal in
an article designed to fiatter the Northern
Pacific to speak Of the Manitoba as trying
TO hamper the other road, in view of the
we'll known fact that the Northern Pacific /
placed such an arbitrary and unreasonable
rate on iron for the Montana Central I
branch of the Manitoba as to prevent
shipment, with the hope of delaying the
enterprise for several years, and did in re-
llity delay the completion of that branch
If the Northern Pacific to delay at the
asst moment the laying of the rails of the
Manitoba into Helena Where the North
srn Pacific made a mistake was in not
coming through the very country now
by the Manitoba; having dis
covered that error she should have sent
branch from Billings to Benton. She now
wakes up to the realization that
he has lost all the trade of Northern
Montana, one of her best customers She
proposes during the boating season next /
ear to give the Manitoba heavy compe-
ition by means of a fleet of steamers on /
he upper Missouri The field is open to /
er now, as it was in the past, the only 8
ifference being that she don't hold quit t
lain deed to the entire traffic as she for /